Shane Dolgener's return helps make the Mustangs QB rich

By Oscar LeRoy | oleroy@mrt.com

Published 3:09 pm, Friday, August 23, 2013

Photo: Tim Fischer

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Dolgener is having a great season since coming back from a knee injury suffered in last year’s loss to Big Spring. So far this season, Dolgener has passed for 710 yrds, rushed for 362 and has accounted for 14 touchdowns (7 rushing). Look for him to be a key factor tonight in the rematch against the Steers. less

Dolgener is having a great season since coming back from a knee injury suffered in last year’s loss to Big Spring. So far this season, Dolgener has passed for 710 yrds, rushed for 362 and has accounted for 14 ... more

Photo: Tim Fischer

Shane Dolgener's return helps make the Mustangs QB rich

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Shane Dolgener wasn’t used to just sitting and watching his teammates play the game he loves.

But that’s what happened when the then-junior quarterback from Andrews tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee four games into the season in 2012.

The injury happened in the first half in a non-district game at rival Big Spring that resulted in a 51-14 loss. After an MRI a few days later, Dolgener found out his season was over.

“I never had anything more frustrating in my entire life,” Dolgener said. “I’m the type of person who never stops moving and that stopped me in my tracks.”

The Mustangs took about a game and a half to recover from the loss, but fortunately sophomore Jase Hammack admirably stepped up and led the Mustangs to a 7-5 record and to the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs.

“Jase came in and did a great job, especially for a young guy,” senior wide receiver Coy Lopez said. “We just gave all our trust to him because there’s not much you can really do besides come back even stronger, and that’s what we did with Jase. We expected so much out of Shane and we had to expect more out of Jase.”

Dolgener was forced to play the role of student coach while on the sidelines, wishing deep down inside he wanted to be out there instead.

“I tried to give (Hammack) a lot of advice,” Dolgener said. “Being on the sidelines I saw a lot more than I did on the field and I think learned a lot more. It was hard for me to watch him do it because I wanted to be out there so bad, but in my mind I had to help him and I tried the best I could to do just that.”

Dolgener added that he was proud of his teammates for stepping up and supporting Hammack.

“I think they understood it,” he said. “They realized I wasn’t coming back and they had to move on with it. Jase stepped in and put his head in there and did a good job replacing me.”

Second-year coach Ralph Mason said Hammack stepping up the way he did went back to what the coaching staff teaches its players about stepping up when their name is called because they never know when it’s going to be their turn.

“It’s a great feeling to see how everybody rallied around Jase and a lot of credit goes to Jase for stepping up and making it happen,” Mason said. “There were times that he could have gone the other way but he showed a lot of character. Now we have two quarterbacks returning and the kids trust both of them.”

Dolgener is feeling good these days and said his knee is “100 percent.” Even though he can use a brace, the doctor told him he didn’t have to wear one. That was good because Dolgener doesn’t like wearing one either.

“The only thing that’s hurting now is the tiredness. It’s getting harder and harder to wake up in the morning,” Dolgener said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a year now, so I’m very excited and I’m blessed and fortunate enough to take the field and come back.”

His teammates are excited to see him back as well.

“I missed my quarterback for sure,” Lopez said. “Shane and I have always had a pretty good relationship, quarterback-receiver-wise and off the field as well. Bringing that relationship onto the field and using it against other teams is fun.”

The Mustangs are hoping Dolgener can do some of the things he did when he was a sophomore. That year he was a first-team All-District 4-3A pick after he passed for 1,624 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 1,094 yards and 16 more touchdowns on 178 carries.

Dolgener would also like to duplicate or better those statistics this season in hopes of attracting some college attention.

“I want to get on the field to boost my confidence and get (a scholarship offer),” he said. “I want to play college ball. My main goal is help my teammates out because I missed them and that’s all I want to do. But by me helping them out, that in turn will help me out.”

Dolgener is also confident he can be that same dual-threat quarterback he was before the injury.

“I was hesitant cutting and doing drills, but I have no pain,” Dolgener said. “One of our coaches tore his ACL whenever he was in high school and he told me, ‘All you’ve got to do is get past that first hit and you’ll be OK.’ I’m not even going to care about that first hit, I just want to run that dude straight over. I just have to get it in my head that everything is fine, don’t worry about it, just play football.”